Combined taplet or crossover and receptacle.



, J. S.STEWART. COMBINED TAPLET OR OBOSSOVBB AM) RECEPTACLB. APILIQATIOITILED {AB-23,1910.

998,810. Patented 3111125, 1911.

.2 &4. M

.dgauriixabxm JAMES S. STEWART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., YORK,

COFIBINED TAPLE'I. 0B CROSSOVER AND RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ASSIGNOR T0 ANNIE STEWART, OF N. Y.

Patented July 25, 191.1.

Application filed March 23, 1910. Serial No. 551,193.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. lfllOWTl that I, JAMES S. STEWART, a citizenof the United States,residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Manhattan and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCombined Taplets or Crossovers and Re- "ccptacles, of which thefollowing is a full,

clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that classof devices known as taplc'ts andcross-overs, such devices being .used for tapping oil from electriclight. wires or the like, or for cros connec in the wires of ditierentcircuits; the use 0 devices of this character being in many localitiesobligatory by statutory enactment and further being necessitated by therules of the underwriters.

My invention has for its object the simplitication of devices of thischaracter, and the provision of inexpensive appliances by the use ofwhich certainty agains short-circuitin at such points is. assured.

rly invention also contemplates the combination of a taplet orcross-over with a re-- ceptacle or rosettc.

()ther novel features of my invention will be hereinafter set forth andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referrin to the drawings which form a part heme? and in which likecharacters of reference designate like parts throughout the severalviews: Figure 1 is a plan of cross ovcr cap embodying features of myinvention. F g. 2 is a side elevation of said cap. Fig. 3 is a sidoelevatiou of the crossover base-block to which the several leads arerespectively connected. Fig. 4 is a plan of the 'said base-block. Fig. 5is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken onlin VI-VI of Fig. 4. Fi 7 is a transverse section of the assembledparts, illustrating the application of a lamp receptacle to, forexample, my cross-over cap; and Fig. 8 is aplan of a taplct cap verysimilar in genera construction to the cross-over cap above referred to.Fig. 9 is a side elevation of said taplct cap.

Considering now the simple cross-over, the cap whereof has beendesignated 1. This cap is provided with a recess 2,'prclerablyrectangular in cross-section; said recess extending nearly through thesaid cap as indicated in Fig. 2. U .011 the bottom of this recess areprovide lugs '3 which,

if the device in question be merely a simple cross-over, may beformed'as" a sin le lug, if so desired. Grooves 4 and 4', the ottomwalls of which slope radually upward from a point adjacent the ottom ofrecess 2 extend upwardly and outwardly from said recess and graduallyapproach each other in the manner shown in Fig. 1, for the purpose ofbrin ing the circuit wires which lna' be inserted thereinto out intoproper-space relationshi with respect to each other; the spacing etwecnthe extremities 5 of said grooves being substantially that of thegrooves in standard moldingz I prefer to .provide also smallprotuberances or lugs (i at the extremities of each of the said groovesand substantially. in; alinenient therewith. the ends of the grooves infact sloping upward over the inner sides of said protuberanccs, as shownat 7. These lugs serve to force the insulated circuit wires well up intothe molding, grooves. The cap is .provided'with a plurality of screwholes 8, by means of which it may be properly secured to the abuttingsections of moldingk This cap is preferably made of porcelain or someother insulating material, and a base 9 of similar material is adaptedMr insertion into the said recess 2, so as to substantially fill thesame. This base has the form, more or less, in longitudinalcross-section,'of a trapezoid with flanges 10 outwardly extending fromthe ends thereof. Each of the sides of the trapozoidally shaped mass isrecessed or grooved as at- 11 to a suilicient depth to afford freeentrance thereinto of an insulatcd conductor or circuit wire. One of theentrances to the grooves so formed is indicated at 12, and i tocorresponding exit' at '13 in Fig. 4-. And it will he observed that Ithe mouth of the groove at 12 is somewhat larger than the correspondingorifice 13. Suitable screw holes '14; ali'ord 'means for supporting saidbasefrom a molding. and the conducting wires may be led downwardly fromthe grooves of said molding through the respective apertures 12 arounthe roove 11, and up again at 13 into the lllOlt ing' groove. Each'ofthe wires so bent or led has the insulation removed therefrom at a pointsubstantially half-way of the length of the bent portion, so that thebored portion of the wire may be clamped under or around th' screw 15,one 'of .whichisfdisposed upon each side of the biise' 9,-.

screwing into recesses in the material thereof -circu'it wire andpositioningithe same for contact with the head of screw L Screws 15areeach in mechanical and electrical contact with a metallic tongue 18,which forms an arm'or offset from 'a'conductive bar 19, one of which'isdisposed upon each of the respective outer sides of the base. Bars 19are somewhat Z-shaped as viewed laterally,

the middle ortion of each bar 1 'ing along a sloping e go of thetrapezoida base. As viewed in Fi 5, the said bars 19 appear L- shapedthe s iort arm of the L, extending partially over one. of the flanges10. This member may be made of sheet metal and is bent'into proper formby means of suitable dies; the tongue 18 being bent downwardly so as toadapt the same for contact with a flattened portion of the groove 11,said tongue being further provided with the usual prongs 21. which aidin seating the conductor. in-properposition. The recess in cap 1 may beformed with a shelf or ledge 22, at each end thereof, as shown in Fig.1,and the cap maybe further cut away as at -23 in order to clear the headof the screw 24 which is in engagement with the bar 19. The cap shouldalso be cutaway or recessed at 23"to afiord clearance for the short arms20 of bars 19. It is obvious of course that the ledges 22 need not beprovided, but said ledges serve to steady the cap in position "upon thebase b their engagement with the lower surface 0 the respective flanges10 of the-base block. The bottom surface-of the trapezoidal base isgrooved at 25 for engagement withthe lugs 3 which further serve tosteady the cap in PlflQQ'liPOl'lltS base.

The leads which are adapted to pass through thegrooves 4.- are affordedspace between thebase'and the cap by reason of the 'tra ezoidalconfiguration ofsaidbase; such lea s passing over the respective flanges10 and having-the insulation removed from a portion of each of the samein order to make electrical contact with their respective screws 24. Itwill' hence be seen that the around the projections 16 upon each side ofthe base; and being'respcctively secured in electrical connection withthe bars 19 upon either side of said base. The pair of circuit wirescoming at right angles to those first, mentioned pass downwardlythrough" grooves 4 and through between the spaces rovided between thesloping "faces of the use andits capy-beingin turn respectively securedm electrical connection by means of 'screws24 with the short lateral and20 of each of the respective bi s19. Thus a lead approaching through theupper right hand groove 4 shown in Fig. 1, will be in electricalconnection with the bar 19 shown to the left of Fig. 5, and will hencebe alsoin electrical connection with the ri ht hand member of a pair ofwires dispose at right angles to those before mentioned. Incorresponding fashion the wire through the lower right hand grooved wi 1be in electrical connection with the. left hand member ofthe pair ofcircuit wires. Recesses 25' afford clearance for the respective leads orcircuit wires which rocecd through grooves t and 1t, should here notedthat recesses 25 aid in disposin the respective leads in their'predeterm1'.'1ed.po-

sitions between the oblique walls of the base and the shorter walls ofthe cap recess, when the cap is placed in position on said base. Itshould also be'observed that the crossover cap and base are bothsymmetrical,

Referring now to Fig. 8, it will be seen that I have provided a tapletwhich'is of substantially the same general construction as thecross-over abovedescribed, the base being identical with that used inconnection with said cross-over and the only alteration in the cap-beingthe formation. of the latter with a straight side at 26, in lieu of thegrooved extension; such extension upon the other side of thetapletbe-ing, however, identical with the corresponding portion of the'cross-over, r p 4 I may provide my cross-over'or taplet cap with meansfor'the application of a lamp receptacle, rosette, or like appliancethereto, and Fig. 7 illustrates such a structure." The bottom of thecap, in this instance a crossover, although the same obviously mighthave been the cap of the taplet equally as well, is recessed as at 27for the reception of a receptacle base 28, which is adapted to supportthe usualthreaded shell 29'. into which'the lamp or other apph :nce issocketed. The center in or screw 30 of the lamp receptacle exten 5 upthrough the receptacle base 28 into threaded en a ement with an enterinaperture in the bottom 0 tie cross-over or taplet cap; the threaded end31 of such screw extending entirely throu h the insulating material ofsaid cap. 11 corresponding fashion, the screw 32 extends upw rd fromside of theta let or cross-over base. Bar

- 19' is'substantiallythe same as 'bars'lfi herecentrally disposedpin'BO in.the manner above described.

- I particularly wish to direct attention to a. feature, not previouslyreferred to at length, namely, that the confi ration of the cap andbase'is such that t e outgoing wire whichemer through the upper righthand groove 4, o the cap shown in Fig. 1,

, can b no possibility-contact with the corre .spon mg outgoing wirewhich is emer ng from the adjacent orifice 13 in the base; since byreason of the relatively small size of said aperture; the wire dis osedin groove 11, will be sharply bent and held out of contact with the wirein groove 4, by the posterior wall 36 of said orifice 13. 7

It will thus be seen that my taplet and cross-over construction, whileextremel sim lo and inex ensive of manufacture, a for s every faci ityfor making connections thereto from the respective circuit wires, andfurther provides means whereby a resette or lam receptacle may besecured thereto; drawing current from the respective wires with whichthe base conductor bars are in electrical contact.

It is obvious, that when the taplct is used. the incoming lateral wiresdo not exten therethrough; the ends thereof being merely connected tothe respective screws or binding posts 24.

Having described my invention, what I claim, is:

1. In an electrical appliance adapted to be positioned on a moldinghaving longitudinal grooves, an insulating baseof substantiallytrapezoidal cross-section having recesses in t ie respective sidesthereof adapted for the rece tion of circuit wires, conductive barssecure I to the said base, having lateral tongues upwardly, extending)into said grooves, said tongues carrying hiding-posts and a portion ofeach of the bars proper also.

carrying a binding post, and a recessed cap having grooves outwardlyextending from the recess therein adapted forthc reception of circuitwires cooperating with said base to the end that the respective sets ofwires may be directed toward their respective binding posts. I

2. In an electrical appliance adapted to be positioned at the junctionof two divers ective;, terminals of sai gent lines of circuit-wiremoldings, an insulatin base having overhanging ends and reeesse sides,the latter being adapted for the reception of circuit wires from one ofthe moldings, an insulating caphaving a baser'eceivin -recess thereinand grooves opening into sai recess, the overhanging ends of the base coacting' with thewalls of the recess, when the parts are'in assembledrelationship,

to form conduit's'for the wires extending from a secondmoldingthroughthe coves of the cap, and tlie'recessed sides of t 1e base co-actingwith walls of the recess in the cap to hold the first mentioned wires inplace and to'insu'latingly space the same from the second mentionedwires.

3. In an electrical aiparatus adaptc'l to be positioned on a-moldinghaving circuit wires, an insulating base, conductive elements carried bysaid base for ailording operative electrical cross connection betweentwo anguiarly disposed and. distinct sets of.

circuit wires, a cap for said base, spaced from the respective angularlydisposed walls thereof at predetermined points to accommodate saidwires, and a contact making device carried by said cap, parts of whichare in electrical connection respectively a with the conductive elementsaforesaid and the terminals of an electrical appliance.

4. In an'clectrical ancaratus adapted to bepositioned on a mo dinghaving circuit wires, an insulating base, conductive elcmcnts carried bysaid'base for ailording operative electrical cross connection betweentwo 'angularly disposed and distinct sets of circuit wires, and areceptacle base having means for rigidly sup ,orting the same contiguous0 said insu atin base, the rebase being in e ectrical; communicationwith said conduc- ,tive elements.

5. In an electrical appliance adapted to be positioned on a groovedmolding having circuit wires, an insulatin projections thereoninsertililc into and en gageable with the grooves of said moldingproximate the points where the circuit wires emerge therefrom,the'bottoin faces of saTd projections bearing against the groove heldportions of the w res to hold said portions down firmly in the bottom ofthe molding grooves.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

. J AMES S. STEWART.

Witnesses: Wanoo M. CnArIN, James Dr: AN'roN-ro.

block having a

